Canon EOS 7D Mark II Review

In the five years since its launch, the Canon EOS 7D has gone from being a cutting-edge piece of technology to an apparent remnant of a bygone age. Not simply in the sense that its technology has been superseded, but also in that the idea of a pro-grade APS-C DSLR seemed to one whose time had passed.

Canon clearly doesn't think this is the case and, just as it did with the original 7D, has applied truly pro-grade autofocus to one of its best-built bodies. While Nikon appears to be encouraging its high-end users across to full frame, Canon's range continues to offer a range of options. The long-awaited EOS 7D Mark II takes the strengths of its predecessor - highly capable autofocus and video - and builds on every aspect of them.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II key specifications:

20MP Dual-Pixel AF CMOS Sensor

10 fps continuous shooting with autofocus

65 all cross-type autofocus sensor

150,000 RGB + IR pixel metering sensor

Dual Digic 6 processors

Enhanced environmental sealing

Compact Flash (UDMA) and SD (UHS-I) slots

USB 3.0

Built-in GPS

Larger-capacity LP-E6N battery

Shutter speeds up to 1/8000th seconds

Shutter rated to 200,000 cycles (vs 150,000 on 7D)

For stills photographers, the EOS 7D Mark II offers an all cross-type, 65-point AF module. This works in conjunction with information from a 150,000-pixel RGB + IR metering sensor to offer the latest version of the 'Intelligent Tracking and Recognition' (iTR) focus system from the EOS-1D X. This means that with iTR engaged and an initial focus point selected, you can initiate focus with a half-depress of the shutter button and then allow the camera to track the subject as it moves across the frame. In this scenario, the camera automatically uses whichever AF point is necessary to maintain focus on the initially selected subject.

The camera's continuous shooting rate jumps to 10 frames per second - something that was limited to pro-grade sports cameras until relatively recently. Along with this comes a shutter rated to survive 200,000 cycles.

The main image sensor is a variant of the Dual Pixel AF design first seen in the Canon EOS 70D, which means 20MP output. It also means the camera is able to capture information about both subject position and depth whenever its mirror is up, using its image sensor. This can potentially provide more decisive autofocus and subject tracking in 'Live View' and while shooting video. Speaking of movies - the 7D II's movie capabilities get a bit of a boost - gaining 1080p/60 shooting capability and a second choice of wrapper (MOV or MP4) and a third compression option (IPB-Lite, as well as IPB and All-I).

Compared to EOS 7D/Nikon D7100

What a difference half a decade makes. The EOS 7D was one of the first DSLRs to offer 1080p video recording - a feature that's now expected, even though it hasn't necessarily been perfected. The Mark II's Dual Pixel AF has the potential to offer impressive autofocus during video capture, since it's able to assess subject position and distance from every captured frame. In principle, this could be enough to allow the 7D II to offer reliable autofocus during video - which would be a major selling point for keen videographers.

On the stills side of things, Canon has made remarkably few advances in sensor technology since the launch of the original 7D, and variants of its sensor still underpin much of the company's lineup.

Comments

Time passed but I did not give up finding a solution for the undersposed photos compared to the D7000 ... Using the Canon DPP, Technicolor CineStyle Picture Style and shadow / highlight controls, I got a pretty good result , similar to the photos taken with the D7000.

I purchased this used primarily for astro work. Used properly, the detail it captures has amazed me. In terms of how clean the dark frames are, it actually outperforms my 5D Mark IV! This is probably one of the more underrated cameras there is and a reason not to put too much stock in arbitrary percentages by reviewers and medals they award but look deeper into the review and see how this or any camera fits YOUR needs.

Still worth it in 2017? I have a 7D classic and a 6D. The 6D is nowhere near fast enough for birding and other action activities and the 7D is showing its age. I hear rumors there may be a 7D Mark III in 2018... but that's a ways off and I'm sure it won't debut anywhere under $2,000. Seems like I can get one for $1,300-$1,400 as of July 2017, so should I go for it?

I'm currently using two systems...Nikon and Canon.... got a Nikon D90 and a Canon 600D. I shoot stills ...mostly outdoor sports- track and field, biking, car races.. occasionally weddings.. I'm completely sold on the image quality and color rendition of my D90 with 55-300 mm VR lens, although its much slower. The 600D with my 55-250 mm is definitely quicker to focus, but sharpness and color just doesn't match the Nikon's. The Canon's really fast and light..love to shoot with it, but I don't get the excellent pictures that the Nikon produces. I'm thinking of getting the Canon 7D Mk2 for its 10 fps, 100+ buffer. Will its 20 mp sensor at least get the same color quality of the D90's? I've read some bad reviews on the color and image quality of the 7D Mk2 ...How true are they? Appreciate your feedback...

Worried about autofocus tracking issues? Found this comment on Amazon: "It isn't a mater of just putting the camera in AI Servo, and shooting away. There are a bunch of case modes that you can tweak for the type of action you're shooting. What I would also recommend is turning on all 65-points for your AI Servo needs. You can customize the camera to only show the center point. When you do that, whatever you initially focus on with the center point, will be tracked with the other 64 points as it moves across the frame. Once I did that, my keeper rate skyrocketed. Before this, I would use the single point expanded with four points around it, or the 15 cluster points. The focus in both of these cases was erratic, especially when shooting with a fast aperture where depth of field is razor thin to begin with."

I have mixed feelings about the 7D II having used one a lot alongside a MkIV and 1DX.

- The AF is quick I'll give it that - easily on a par with the 1DX and slightly better in low light - but I've found in servo (AI) mode it doesn't lock on as well as either of the 1 series bodies I use, even when set to it's slowest point for tracking. In part I think this is down to it needing a degree of MFA on the 600mm lens I use, something the 1 series bodies have not needed, but I want to be confident in what I use and out of the box I just don't have that confidence with this body.

- The ISO noise is little better than the Mk IV.

- For resolving things at distance the MkIV is much better (as is the 1DX).

Your mileage may vary and I may have received a copy that needs some tweaking. I'm not saying the 7DII is a bad camera and it is an improvement on the original 7D, but I'm sticking with the MkIV and 1DX.

1) Where the real potential of the AF Area Selection Lever is realized, however, is the ability to assign one of a handful of custom functions to it, including AE lock, ISO setting, and exposure compensation.

2)Another way I frequently used the lever was to assign it to toggle between whatever AF area was selected and the center (or other pre-selected) AF point.

how did you assign the lever to go to pre-selected AF pointwhen the options were:AE lockISOexp compensation

I have had my 7D Mark II for exactly one year now and I absolutely love it!! I shoot a lot of Track & Field, Cross Country, and misc College sports. This camera is lighting fast and produces amazing images, so capturing sports is NO problem for good ole' Mark ;-) Lens I shoot with are the 70-200 f/2.8 II IS and 85 f/1.8 and it's like a marriage made in Heaven. If you're looking to shoot wildlife or sports this camera is the one for you! Buy it, you won't regret it

Just bought the 7Dk2..I have the original 7d and a 6D.. I use the 7D for nature and do a lot of BiF. Something that I think is significant but didn't notice in any reviews is the meter in manual mode is off to the right side of the screen instead of in the center as in the 6D and original 7D.. If you wear glasses as I do it's very difficult to see the meter and even without glasses you have to take your eyes off the subject to ensure your meter is correct. When the action happens fast this is a problem..

I have a 7D2 and a 5D3 and frequently get caught out thinking my metering is okay when in fact I'm looking at the exposure compensation dial that runs along the bottom. I agree it is also harder to see on the right hand side, but I think this is how it is in the 1DX and 1DX2.

Just confirmed that the autofocus in movie mode is disabled when shotting at 59.94 frames per second. A bummer, and I can find no mention of it anywhere online. Yes, you can press the AF ON button to focus while shooting, but you're not getting the tracking AF that this review touts so highly when shooting at the faster frame rate. I'm sure there are technical reasons for it, but it's a bummer for my style of video shooting.

I love the 7DMK ii. I just upgraded from the 7D. I was thinking of buying the 5DMK iii but it's still expensive for me and I don't even have an L lens yet. So, for the price of the 5DMK iii I was able to get a 7DMK ii + battery grip and my first L lens, 24-70 f4 IS USM. Awesome combo.

I've been using my 7DMkii alongside my 5DMkiii for the last 10 months. I take both bodies on most expeditions, and use with 100mm IS macro mostly. I'm a pro wildlife photographer, and I typically shoot about 30,000 images per year.

My experience is that 5DMkiii has bigger brighter viewfinder which makes depth of field and manual focus assessment much easier. 7DMkii however is much faster and more accurate in autofocus mode.

The greater reach of the crop sensor is valuable for much of the subject matter I shoot, and its a lot cheaper and weighs a lot less than using an equivalent angle-of-view lens on a full frame body.

I still use the 5DMkiii in very poor light when it has an ISO vs noise advantage, but for 95% of my photography I find myself picking up the 7DMkii instead.

It may be marginally inferior in some ways to certain Nikon or Sony cameras, but overall the 7DMkii is a fantastic camera and I can't think of any other model from any maker that I would use in preference.

I bought the original 7D and had issues with it and sold it. I have 2 5D mark III with a 1D mark III. Was thinking of selling the 1D mark III and going with the new 7D mark II. For the little bit of action photography I do any more and to double the MP. Does any one know how this body would compare to the 1D mark III. Should I make the switch? I love the 1D, but just hate the weight of it.

I have had the 7D MKII for about 5 months. I use it mostly for PRCA rodeo's. It is a great camera. but not as a 2nd to the 7D though... it is much closer to a 1Dx than a 7D in most aspects. I think it depends on how large a print and or the cropping that you do. The 6D is much cleaner in low light but then again, the 6D only has 11 focus points compared to the 7D MKII's 65 all cross types. The focusing cant compare. I miss very few shots and that counts for a lot. I now use my 1Ds MKII and 1D MKII as backups. The 5D MKIII has better focusing than the 6D if you can afford one.

I have only had my Canon EOS 7D for about a year but looking at getting a second good quality camera. Now that the 7D Mark II is available I am wondering if there is any point in getting that one as well or going for something totally different to complement my 7D. I photograph birds and landscape and at times it can be handy to have a handheld camera onsite as well as one on a tripod. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Yes, it can be handy, indeed, to have a second camera, to allow hand-held shots while one camera is secured to a tripod. I used a pair of the original 7D for several years. The 7D and 7D Mark II are close enough in operation to be used together with little chance of fumbling. (The controls on a 6D, for example, are annoyingly different, while the camera body feels largely the same.) Until I bought my second 7D Mark II, I kept using my first 7D alongside the newer II. Acquiring a second II has not prompted me to consider parting with my very first 7D; these two generations of cameras complement each other well. (I did trade one 7D toward the price of my first 7D II.)

Thanks for this. The price tag for a 1DX or mark 5D III would be out of my reach. I am very happy with my 70D camera but at times require an extra camera to capture fast moving birds and from your reply I gather that my initial thought of adding a 7DII will be an excellent addition to my photographic armoury.

I have a 7D and a 7D Mark II and have shot over 200,000 images with both cameras. I also have a 5D Mark III and have shot about 100,000 images with it. I'm a landscape and bird photographer. The 7D Mark II does NOT complement the 7D -- it blows it to kingdom come. After shooting with the 7D Mark II for a single day, I have yet to use the 7D for a single shot. As for landscapes, the 5D Mark III is far superior to the 7D Mark II in that category. Where the 7D Mark II excels is in speed and accuracy of AF [especially in AI Servo mode] and fps, which along with it's 1.6x crop sensor makes it a great wildlife shooter. For me, when it comes to moving objects, I use the 7D Mark II, when it comes to landscapes, I use the 5D Mark III.

I do have a 7D today and will buy a 7D MKII today.I do have one simple thing that I would like to change in the future.With heavy lenses like 24-105/4L IS USM the body should have an extra hanging point for the shoulder-strap. Now it is generating a strange bend in the nylon band and it hangs uncomfortable on the shoulder. This is due to the centre of gravity is much forward related to the weight of the body. Actually why not just make it three times longer and have a movable clip to adjust its position regarding the used lens.

Having replace the 7D with 7Dmkii recently after 5 years of use and more than 100.000 frames I can admit that's the most amazing camera I have ever had. It's so god that now I regret the money I spent last November to buy a 5D mkiii too.....

I've been using the 7dii since launch and also own a 6d and x100s. The 7dii image quality is outstanding, and the raw files have huge latitude for editing.....if needed. If you can't take a decent photo with this camera for sports, wildlife....even portraits and landscape, then different brands with different sensors won't be your answer.

One thing I think people perhaps forget about is the cost, I was going to buy a 5D3 this year and realised for similar money I was able to have a 6D and 7D2, now the 6D has as good image quailty and low light capability as the 5D3 and the 7D2 has the speed and dynamics almost as good as a 1DX, so now I can do fantastic landscapes and architecture and then change to the 7D2 and take mind blowing sports and wildlife, all with the same glass. Fantastic !!In regard to Image quailty, the 7D2 is noticably less than the 6D, may be as much as 20% less, but for wildlife and sport its focus and exposure system is just incredible, but you do need a 1066x CF card to get the most out of it!

Yeah i agree with Photo Nest. I have four Canon DSLR'S ,two being 5D3 and 7D2. I also find touch screens awful there just a toy an add on you really don't need and something to easily break. Do yourselves a favor, grab a 7D2 and a good lens get off your butts go outside learn to use it and it will blow you away. This is one awesome camera and does not deserve to be picked to pieces by people who most likely have never used one.

Got the Ancient 20d and Still love my 50d,BUT will one day get the 7d mk2 ,however aint NO PLEASING some people,ie touch screen,they'll be wanting the fascilitie to phone people up using the camera next....and moan they can't....

@peter1957 BS!! Not just a toy add on. I love the touch screen on my 70D and EOS M. It makes for faster selections of parameters, playback panning, touch to change focus points, ect and touch shutter. No vibration from pressing the shutter button or trying to reach it if using the flip out screen to get a shot at an awkward angle. It is Not a gimmick. It's very usefull. I do agree with you about the 7D mk II and like you said about it, picked apart by people who haven't used it. Have you used the touch screen on a 70D or other Canon with one? You have no gear or gallery photos so I can't tell.

Fellow 1DX, 7dm2, and 650d owner and I respectfully disagree that touch screens can't be durable. I have dropped, wacked, and abused my poor 650d and its touch screen still works perfectly. Same with my GH4 and ancient panasonic video cams, used them to death for years but the touch screens still work perfectly.

Everybody has the right to their own opinion, I've read some reviews here and honestly let me share something with you, take it from a pro with 28 years in the industry and an active portrait photographer still, what's not to like about this camera??

Those who are writing awful things about the 7DII must be Nikon, Sony or some other brand's shooter and want to make the 7DII look bad for no reason.

"If" and again "if" you know what you are doing this camera with the proper L Series lens will provide you with excellent image quality and satisfaction.

Some people even complaint about the 7DII not having touch screen, hey I don't even like touch screen.

It's a beautiful piece of equipment, I am very happy with mine, but yes gotta have the glass guys, if not you'll never find out what this camera can give you!!

I have had the 7D Mark II for about 3 weeks now. I had upgraded from 60D and there is a huge learning curve. I was thinking of returning it and going for the 5D Mark III, but I am going to keep it. I am keeping because its just fast on all aspects. I am using Tamron (NON VC) lens and they might be a little dated for the body and I need to sell it or just be little less trigger happy. I rented a 24 - 70 2.8 L Series II lens and it is just awesome. Every shot was clear and I could not have asked for more. My debate is now should i go for the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC or used Canon 24 - 70 2.8 L Series II.

A 7D Mark II should still be under warranty, but then, your post only states "7D," so I would guess you mean an original 7D. It is a shame that the repair would cost more than the retail price of a new-old-stock 7D.

This camera is a complete flop in my opinion. I'm really disappointed with Canon's IQ as of late. Nikon/Sony have completely changed the game with respects to IQ. Nikon was cranking out images that looked this good or better almost 10 years ago. However, I Can't wait to see the image quality from the 5DS! If it surpasses the D800 series we are all winners!

Wow -- do you own it and use it? I was using my A7II( the latest greatest sony), 5D3, and the 7DII over the last weekend on a mostly bird photography and seascapes trip. The 7DII completely killed the 5D3 in terms of quick focus and tracking. Worked beautifully with my 200-400 and the new 100-400 canon lenses. I like the A7 II and will keep it to use for travel and compact situations and am even willing to trust it for my kids sports. Though at f4 on the 20-200 its not great for low light in an indoor gym. Have mostly tried it with the native 55 zeiss lens on portraits. I love it, but the SIGMA ART 50 on my canon bodies is frankly just as good results wise if not better. And the sony was not quite as quick to focus and shoot though of course its so much cheaper. The 7DII of course has the crop factor, but the Sigma makes for a pleasing 85mm approx equivalent portrait lens on it. So before you dismiss a camera, you should think of the use you have for it.

Yes, the 7D Mark II is such a flop, I recently bought a second one, so I can really roll in misery. ;-)

To be clear, I am not unfamiliar with Nikon, and am not a dedicated Canon fan-boy; my wife shoots Nikon DSLRs, and I shoot both Canon and Nikon DSLRs. The 7D Mark II is quite well-suited for some types of shooting.

I agree with the part about experience but in the digital age, hardware performance does matter. You don't need an expensive camera. e.g. 6D will blow the 50D shots especially in low light shots. Some has change the way they approach low light shots using the advantage of newer digital camera with low light AF acquisition and low light high ISO performance. Many are choosing not to use their flash unit.

To understand the difference the technology brings with a new product I can tell you that with the old 7D I was spending time working on raw files of almost every picture when with the new 7D mkii i can use the picture straight from the jpg file most of the times......

So I understand this is sort of comparing apples to oranges... but only "sort of", given how much in common they share. What this review is missing is a discussion about the 70D versus this camera.

Yeah, 7D blows away the 70D in terms of stills, but what about video? It appears to be missing the touch screen, has more modes (but the slow motion modes are somewhat crippled by not using Dual AF) but what about video quality? Is the 70D and 7D about the same? If I want to buy based on video quality is it worth spending the extra $$$ for the 7D?

I have the 7D2 but I think the 70D is more of a jack of all trades one. A comparison without going in to the details puts the 70D as a higher value option than 7D2. Yes 7D2 has some more video mode but the people whom are going to buy it are not going to buy it for that.

Thanks, I do appreciate the comment. I'm leaning towards getting the 70D mostly because I actually *like* the idea of the pull out screen (unlike the reviewer here) as well as the great ability to change focus with a touch. As you say, it's a higher value (price in terms of features) and perhaps as I get more into digital photography again (having been away for over a decade) I'll decide at some point to upgrade my camera and consider the 7D2 again.

I finally realise what a lot of friends are telling is to believe in what you try, been a Nikon user for 6 years I rented the 7D MKii for 2 days and end up selling all of my nikon glasses and buying this camera. (user of d750,d810,d7100)whatever they are saying and I am pointing to DXO Mark don't believe it I did a direct compare to d7100 and IQ in 7D MK ii beats the nikon by a big margin, I encourage everyone to do it and see how quality, IQ, ergonomics and Focusing in Canon is way ahead of Nikon. That said, now I have a question for Dpreview, why the video quality is not compare to other SLR (d750,d810....ex) but instead its compared to GH4 and A7S which meant for video? GH4 almost the same price but its get the gold award where 7D mk ii way ahead in image quality and silver award if we don't add the focussing, build quality,......ex? and really metering and focusing quality in D7100 better? you joking ? Even the 90% d750 can't match the 7D MKii in this area!!

Obviously I don't believe in the story, but lets ignore that.If you've sold all Nikon gear (including FX) after 2 days with the 7Dm2, it seems you have some issues. :oIs the IQ of 7Dm2 better than of D7100? I guess not, but lets ignore that also.Why did you replace D750 and D810 with the 7Dm2? Is the IQ of the Canon better?

first of all wither you believe or not is not something matter to me when I wrote what I wrote and to make you, you can follow my account on 500 px and see all the photos captured with all the camera I mentioned, my account is Ashkanani1985 in 500px, and if you don't believe in what I said about the canon 7d IQ compare to nikon d7100 you can rent both cameras and see that in your own eyes as I did, now why did I change from full frame to Crop sensor thats another story coz I am more interested now in wild life photography and need a fast camera ..... you have to listen to other ppl opinion without calling them layers and again plz visit my account browse throw the picture from last September up to today and you will see that I used nikon d850, nikon d750 and finally 7d II.

WOW, the 7D Mark II is really a niche product! For the average photographer, can't think of one good reason to go for the Mark II. I have noticed on the DPREVIEW traffic meter that it is generating very little interest, this is a half baked offering. Not interested at all.

Having replaced my 7D with the new 7D mkii after 5 years of use i could tell you that the new model is even better to the average user since he can use the jpg files straight from the camera when with the old model he had to spend time working with thw raw files. The difference in image quality is huge!

As I said before, to bad Canon didn't use a Sony/Toshiba sensor in this camera. IMO the D7100 has better IQ then the 7DMKll. With that said, if I didn't have so much Nikon glass, I would have jumped ship to this camera in a heart beat as I only shoot wildlife photos.

I own a 6D, and have used a 7D mark II. they are both pretty awesome.. although to be honest, the only real advantage to the 6D is the high ISO performance.. So if you do regularly shoot weddings, or events, you might want the flexibility of that. however, if you are just a hobbyist, the 7D mark II is a beast of a camera, and its what i would go with. personally, IMO. btw, I've been using the 6D for about a year and a half now. (it is too a great camera though)

I spent 8 hours hiking Illinois' Shawnee National Forest for snakes in Oct '14, with both a Canon 70D and a Sony a7R swinging around my neck as I both photographed and dodged dozens of cottonmouth moccasins and a few copperheads. With appropriate lenses on both, the image quality from the Canon sensor suffered so badly from the comparison I have subsequently unloaded all my Canon gear. EVF is a revelation. Those not using an EVF are using a pre-WYSIWYG computer. The Sony sensor is a revelation (think vastly superior DR).This comment is likely to evoke unparalleled abuse from Canon fanbois, but if anyone is capable of critical thinking, I hope it will help someone else get the images to which they aspire.

first off a7r is a 35M FF body. would you expect the 70D to match it? Why in the world do you abuse yourself by carrying two camera bodys hanging around your neck??? no sure what lens you used but the whole combo would be a painful exercise. You'd have known which ones going to be better before the hike.Tell us something that we don't know.

I comprehend your scorn, but have enough experience with a multitude of cameras/sensors to factor in the APS-c vs FF difference and the Canon still lagged so badly by comparison I sold and replaced the 70D and 100-400mm w/ a Sony A77II and 70-400G2, cheerfully absorbing the financial blow for the improved IQ. Yes, it's a judgment call, and yes, of course FF typically outperforms APS-C, but I believe the difference I experienced was greater than size alone could ever explain or I wouldn't have tossed my money in the ring...Wishing you good results with whatever equipment you are using!Oh, a PS - re. why two bodies? Snakes move fast!

If you peruse the thorough DPR analysis, they prominently note the sensor is little changed through the 7D - 70D - 7DII sequence. Having worked hard with the 7D and 70D, I chose to move on rather than continue the struggle with yet another humble Canon sensor.

Ok here i enter this potentially flawed thread.The question I have to ask, is as you say you "Unloaded all your gear",I'm presume you are an experienced Canon user.You possibly have a reasonable Sony Arsenal too, to have "selected" your lens & therefore be experienced with the camera.Having already used both Cameras,you would surely know how rubbish the Canon was before even taking it out? What was the point of having that paperweight hanging around your neck.I know photographers who are still using Nikon D300's & Canon 7Ds & Canon 5D MKiis & One even using a D90 & they all get superb Images.They are not bothered about Pixel peeping or MTF charts,Rubbishing the 70D sensor in the way that you do,makes me suspect that you have never actually taken any Decent Images with either camera.

you folks are pretty tedious, all slipping into ad hominem attacks as the coup de grace of your posts. Yes, the lugging of multiple cameras is work, thank you for pointing that out. REAL wildlife photography IS work, somehow most wildlife doesn't like people - and I've learned my own luck is mostly hard work.

I constructed my own reasonable, and final, head to head comparison and changed gear, as I find the Sony equipment superior in the extended direct comparison. How is that so hard to grasp, or accept as someone else's opinion? Please save the ad hominem attacks for your significant others, or maybe buy a roll of poo-in-a-tin of the ussr2.0 portrait toilet paper (ebay) upon which I suggest you really work out those latent hostilities!

I love a nice EVF.. the only thing missing from these mirrorless cameras is a proper flash system.. mostly the AF assist.. Id be switching to a Fuji system or Sony system full time if there was a flash that could AF in low light (i.e. a dim church or dark reception hall) with out blasting an LED light in someones face.

Awards are not directly correlated with the score a camera receives. Scores are intended to be as objective as possible and are "point in time scores," meaning they are based on comparing the camera to competitors in its class at the time of the review.

Awards represent the editorial team's overall opinion of the product and leave leeway to account for things that may not be directly measurable. (For example, the inclusion of some amazing new feature or a missed opportunity where a really important feature performs significantly below expectations.)

the scoring is still confusing. I have seen similar comments by others on other product review. This shows you that the award and scoring is confusing. Doesn't this reflect that this award systems needs a review itself or DPR internal review process is missing a step called corrective action and improvement process. Something which are practised by most professional organisation.

I think Dale explained it. Percentages are for things that are measurable and awards are for how the staff feels about a product. As an example, a camera could score highly because it has a great sensor and all the bells and whistles. But maybe not get an award because it really sucks to handle and has no "soul" as a camera. Just as an example.

Canon's continued abuse of the owner base by pushing underperforming legacy sensors comes to mind, actually very, very, quickly. This is a "bells and whistles" tour de force with an oh-so-obviously outmoded sensor. The chain is as strong as its weakest link.

Dale, thanks for the guide. It'll be great if you guys can create a matrix to show the actual ranking of e.g. gold on one cat vs gold/silver of another. E.g.does mid range FF gold means is equal or better compared semi pro DSLR or compact etc.I see many people argue that, hey this camera has gold and that one has silver but fail to understand the actual score weightage wrt ranking.

Vignes, good question. Trying to figure out how a gold camera in one category compares to a silver camera in another category would be a bit like comparing ratings between apples and oranges.. You could do it, but it wouldn't mean much. Sure, they are both fruits, but how would it be a meaningful comparison? They are very different things.

We do put a lot of thought into the scores and ratings (as you probably figured out from the link above). However, they aren't meant to be a definitive guide on what any one person should or should not buy. We provide many pages of detailed analysis in each review so that a person can weigh the pros and cons of a particular camera and determine if it's the right one for them. Scores and ratings are important, but ratings alone should not be considered the definitive measure of a camera.

Gaining more experience with the camera I realize that it needs one or two lenses that Canon will never build: EF 17(or 15, why not...)-55 f/2.8 L USM IS or, even a EF 17-70 f/4 L USM (or STM) IS... sort of a "premium" standard zoom useful for APS-C, easy to make a photo kit when paired with a 70-200... The Sigma 17-70 is not weather sealed, unfortunately... And outdoor I use the (old but strong) 24-70 version I so far (or the 17-40...)...but, other sealed, L class standard zoom lenses...?

Nikon's newest D7500 gains a lot from the D500 and loses a few things compared to its predecessor, the D7200 - but Canon's got at least one model that looks pretty comparable. Let's see how they stack up.

Many cameras today include built-in image stabilization systems, but when it comes to video that's still no substitute for a proper camera stabilization rig. The Ronin-S aims to solve that problem for DSLR and mirrorless camera users, and we think DJI has delivered on that promise.

Latest buying guides

If you're looking for a high-quality camera, you don't need to spend a ton of cash, nor do you need to buy the latest and greatest new product on the market. In our latest buying guide we've selected some cameras that while they're a bit older, still offer a lot of bang for the buck.

What's the best camera for under $500? These entry level cameras should be easy to use, offer good image quality and easily connect with a smartphone for sharing. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing less than $500 and recommended the best.

Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Sony mirrorlses cameras in several categories to make your decisions easier.

Whether you've grown tired of what came with your DSLR, or want to start photographing different subjects, a new lens is probably in order. We've selected our favorite lenses for Canon DSLRs in several categories to make your decisions easier.

Professional commercial photographer Moe Lauchert shares an incredible gallery of film photographs he captured on Ilford HP5 with a Nikonos 5 while serving as a diver at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas.

We've been shooting with a beta version of the Sony a9's upcoming firmware 5.0. While there's much more analysis to come, we can say it makes for a dead simple AF tracking user experience. Take a look at some of our samples.

The Tamron 17-35mm F2.8-4 is a compact and light-weight lens for full-frame Canon and Nikon DSLRs. We took it on grand tour of Seattle's top tourist spots and found it makes a pleasant, albeit wide, walking around lens.

Fujifilm has announced its new GF 100-200mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR tele-zoom lens. The lens, equivalent to 79-158mm when mounted on a GFX camera, has image stabilization (with a claimed 5 stops of shake reduction), a linear AF motor and weather-sealing.

Amongst all of the camera news yesterday, Sony also announced its new Imaging Edge mobile app, which replaces PlayMemories Mobile. Three desktop applications have also been updated, adding support for time-lapse movie creation.

Our intrepid team is in San Diego, for the launch of the new Sony a6400. In this short overview video, Carey, Chris and Jordan talk through the main specifications of the new camera, and what they might mean for photographers and videographers.

The Sony a6400 is the company's new midrange mirrorless camera, whose standout features include an advanced autofocus system, flip-up touchscreen LCD and oversampled 4K footage with Log support. Learn more as we go hands-on with the a6400.

Sony has announced major firmware updates for the a7R III, a7 III and a9. All three cameras gain improved Eye-AF, the ability to recognize and focus on animals' eyes, and timelapse capability. The a9 gets more sophisticated subject tracking.